Second Chances
by Despair's Angel
Summary: It's funny how death is taken so lightly. Have you ever looked at things from the villian's point of view? And what happens when the good guy is not so good anymore? Will he give them a second chance? DannyXSam SkulkerXEmber JohnnyXKitty
1. Prologue

**I miss Danny Phantom so much! Is it true that Butch Hartman is making a movie in April? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom (If I did, the series would never end)**

* * *

**Ember...**

'It's fine, Rebecca... he's just running late...' Rebecca McLain desperately tried to console herself. She wouldn't believe that she had been stood up. _No!_ He was coming. She was sure of it. 'Wait 5 more minutes'. Rebecca urged herself. The harsh, cold, September wind whipped her face. Her auburn hair, tied up in a high ponytail flew back. Leaving her neck exposed to the biting wind. But she would just have to bear with it. The love of her life. Ethan Millers, had asked her out. He had finally broken up with his bratty girlfriend, Stephanie Taylor. And she wasn't going to let a little wind ruin that for her.

Minutes turned to hours. And only when she could see the tip of the sun, peeking over the horizon, did Rebecca truly give up. He wasn't coming. Was she surprised? To be honest, not really. Who would ever want to go out with, shy, unpopular Rebecca McLain? Rebecca heaved a sigh. Her muscles were stiff from her uncomfortable position against the oak tree.

Rebecca trudged home, kicking the dirt.

"Wow! That loser actually fell for it? Ha! You're the greatest, Ethan!" Rebecca froze. Ethan? Shakily, she peered over to the park swings. Sure enough, Ethan Millers and none other than Stephanie Taylor stood in lip lock. The auburn haired girl felt stinging tears come to her eyes. She raced home. No! She wouldn't cry over some _boy_. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her in tears. Rebecca didn't even bother coming through the front door. She climbed up the large oak tree by her house and tumbled in through her bedroom window.

Stumbling past her bed, Rebecca blinked back her tears. She grabbed her most prized possession. Her guitar. Yes, she was quite skilled in the guitar, but she was too afraid to play in public. She hugged the electric guitar tightly. She knew the truth now. You can't trust anyone. You can't trust your friends, you can't trust your family. And you can't trust boys.

_He broke me..._

_But one thing remains..._

There are different types of crying. The type where you sob so violently, that you find it hard to breathe. And the type where you cry silently into your pillow, hoping no one will notice. And eventually, you fall asleep. Rebecca was experiencing the latter. Eventually, she drifted off into a slumber.

When she woke, she was greeted by the sound of screaming and crackling flames. Her eyes shot open. Flames surrounded her, blocking both the window and door. There was no way out.

They say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. And her parents always told her: If you come across an encounter like that, take time to appreciate the good memories. But that wasn't the case for Rebecca. She remembered getting bullied in middle school, when she got her braces. She remembered getting her dreams trashed by her 'best friend'. And she remembered longing after Ethan, only to get her heart trampled on. What good memories did she have to appreciate?

Surprisingly, she felt strangely calm. Despite knowing that these would be her last moments. Perhaps, her death would teach them a lesson. Drive them to guilt. Rebecca felt a twinge of satisfaction at the thought, as she stared at the glowing embers. Flames engulfed her completely. Rebecca smirked.

_They will remember my name..._

* * *

**Skulker...**

Mitchell Walker scurried past the students of Lakeside High School, hoping for once that he could sneak past the bullies.

"Hey! It's Midget Mitchell!" someone screamed. Mitchell sighed. It was worth a try.

"Hey, Mitch! It's lunch time! Time for you to get a knuckle sandwich!" Duncan, a jock yelled. Mitchell snorted. How original.

As usual, the jocks surrounded the short boy, and as usual, Mitchell ended up with his head in the toilet, and bruises all over his body. Mitchell winced as he pressed too hard on one of the swollen bruises. As if he didn't get enough of those at home. He could already hear the snickers and gossip flying around.

"Oh look, its that short loser boy."

"Hey, that's Midget Mitch, stay away from him."

"Did you hear? Apparently the short freak show gets beaten at home!" Mitchell froze. How did they find out about that? No! No one could find out about it! If word got to the authorities, they would take him away from his dad. He didn't have a problem with that. Who wouldn't want to get away from a psychopath, abusive father? But then they would send Mitch to... _him._ Yes, his father was bad... but his uncle...

The fist thing Mitchell noticed when he got off the bus, was that his front door was ajar. Oh no. That meant bad news... Mitchell slipped through the opening and looked around. Nothing. He sighed in relief and placed down his bag. _Thump!_ Mitch froze in fear. He was home. The teenager turned to flee. But before he could exit, his wrist was grabbed and dragged back into the dark shadows of the house.

Mitchell could smell the heavy reek of alcohol. His dad had been drinking again. This was not good. The glint of metal made Mitchell gasp in shock. He had never had a knife before. Desperately, Mitch wrenched himself out of his father's iron grip. Panting, he found refuge in the basement closet. For a few minutes, he only heard silence. And he made the mistake of believing he was safe. He let out a sigh of relief.

_Thump!_

_Thump!_

_Thump!_

The boy buried himself deeper within the winter coats. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His dad was drunk. He's probably not even sober enough to figure out where the sighing noise had come from.

"Mitchell! Come out and play! Or will I have to hunt you down?" his father called in a playful voice. But it was not the same playful voice that he had used when Mitchell was 5 and they played their hide and seek games. No. There was a menacing tone behind the playful banter. And the knife in his hand proved it.

"There you are!" The closet door was flung open. Mitchell couldn't move. He told himself to run, to hide, or call for help. But all he could do was sit there as his so called 'father' advanced on him. His knife glinting in the dim light, ready to strike.

That afternoon, there was a bloodcurdling scream that none of the Walker's neighbours could comprehend. And in his dying moments, Mitchell thought of Duncan, and his goons. And all the pain they brought him. He wanted to return the favor.

_'I will hunt you down...'_

* * *

**Kitty...**

_'Jealousy. A trait that people despise. A trait that creates distrust and backstabbing in relationships. A characteristic that I wish I had. For Katie Philips, it was just kindness and generosity. I could never truly hate someone. I could never truly bring myself to feel jealous, or pick a fight. Or stand up for myself. And worst of all, I could never say no._

_Maybe it was a curse. A spell placed on me, preventing me from saying no. And you'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now. Especially when it came to boys. They were just foolish brats that used me. All of them. And I got my heart torn, over and over again.'_

Katie Philips scribbled furiously in her diary. The only way she could truly let out her thoughts.

"Last stop! Everybody off!" the bus driver snapped. Katie heaved a sigh and closed her journal, snapping the lock. As she stepped off onto the sidewalk, the bus door closed behind her. Perhaps she should have known. Perhaps she should have guessed by the way lightning was flashing, or how the cold rain drenched her curly golden locks. The weather was a sure sign of the horror that was to come. But, with her ever naive façade, Katie thought nothing of it.

She fumbled for her key and jiggled it in the key hole. As it swung open, the sight that greeted her was truly terrifying.

Do you believe in the Grim Reaper? That hooded figure that comes, scythe at the ready. Come to inform you that today was your last? Well Katie certainly did not believe in him. He was just a stupid myth, right? Yet here he was. Standing in her living room, her grandmother trembling at his feet. He raised his scythe, ready to chop and-

"STOP!" Katie screeched. She scurried to her grandmother's side and scooped her up. The frail old woman sobbed in fear. The reaper waited, expectantly. Katie bit her lip.

"Please, please don't take her life. I'll do anything! Anything!" Katie pleaded. The ghost of the deceased tipped his hooded head to the side.

"Anything?" he challenged. At this, Katie grew nervous.

"Y-yes. Please." she whimpered. The Grim Reaper nodded.

"If you truly wish to save your grandmother. You must take her place. Take her place, and she will be saved." the reaper instructed. Katie's eyes widened. Surely there must be another way! The old woman in her arm's expression turned sour.

"Yes, Katie. Take my place. Surely you would do that for you old grandmother. Wouldn't you?" she cooed. Katie's mouth felt dry. But she couldn't say no.

"O-of course, grandma." Katie bowed her head, shakily. Her grandmother smirked. The ghostly figure beside them waved his scythe. Katie screamed in agony as a burning sensation filled her. She literally felt her soul being ripped out of her. Black dots danced in her vision, and her head hit the floor.

When she finally managed to open her eyes, she saw the hooded figure, scythe raised above her head. Her grandmother looked down on her, smirking. Her youth replenished. She had glistening green eyes and beautiful golden locks. If only Katie could be jealous of her. She leaned down and kissed Katie softly on the cheek. One last kiss before she was banished to death.

If only she could say no...

* * *

**Johnny 13...**

Jonathan Xavier. A normal boy a first glance. And a happy child growing up. But strange things started happening in high school. He would drop mirrors, walk under ladders, sight black cats. And Jonathan wasn't superstitious either. But whenever he shattered a mirror, or strolled under a ladder, or even catch a black cat in the side of his vision, bad things would happen. And what choice did he have, but to believe?

"It's Bad Luck Johnny!"

"It's Johnny 13!"

Jonathan tried to block out the teasing voices. He covered his ears and shut his eyes tightly. But of course, he managed to trip and stumble into Vincent. Tall, buff, football star, and most of all, a bully. Jonathan gulped as the football player growled down at him.

"Watch it, shrimp." he threatened. Jonathan attempted to swerve past him. But he was grabbed from behind and shoved into the middle of the hallway. He was tossed back and forth. Until someone pushed him too hard. As Ms. Becker was climbing up the stairs, Jonathan was thrust towards her. Both let out a cry and were propelled to the bottom of the stairwell.

When Jonathan was able to open his eyes, he was horrified beyond belief. Students were crowding around with shocked and concerned expressions. Johnny winced at the pain shooting through his body, but he managed to stand up. He gave himself a shake. Nothing broken. That was good. And extremely lucky, considering he was 'Johnny 13'. He frowned. What was everyone crowding around. He weaved his way through the students until he was able to get a good look. And suddenly, he wished he hadn't.

Ms. Becker lay on the ground. Her neck bent at an awkward angle. Her clothes were stained red with blood. The students most loved teacher. Kind, and helpful, lay dead. And they blamed Johnny 13. Jonathan gasped and took a step back, and the horrifying sight. Students turned their attention from the teacher, to him. They snarled, expressions cold.

"You! You killed her!" Christine Evans pointed her perfectly manicured nail at him. The others grumbled in agreement.

'Me? It was Vincent that pushed me!' Jonathan protested in his head. He looked around at the accusing glares, pointed at him. They advanced on him, looking murderous. Letting out a strangled scream, he turned and fled.

As Jonathan hopped onto his bike, he couldn't get the image of Ms. Beckers' deceased body. Was this really his fault? Was he really the cause of her death? He heard students yelling behind him. Shaking their fists and crying out, indignantly. Jonathan didn't know where he was going. He just knew that he had to get as far away from the school as possible. He had to get as far away from that dead body. From the murder that _he_ caused.

He didn't know how many laws he broke as he speeded away from that school. But he wasn't going to stop. Much to his surprise and confusion. Pedestrians seemed to be cheering him on. Encouraging him to go faster. He grinned. Was this what it was like to be appreciated? Johnny basked in the attention. And he loved it.

If only he had seen that car coming. If only he had realised that he was in the wrong lane. If only he had realised that those pedestrians weren't cheering him on, they were trying to warn him. The car hit his bike straight on.

And everything went black.

* * *

**Youngblood...**

William Young spent his whole life being ignored. No one noticed him. His teachers, his aunts and uncles, or even his parents. The only time they acknowledged him was to boss him around, or interrogate him.

"William! Do this!"

"William! Do that!"

Oh, and how William loathed it. He loathed authority. He loathed instructions. And he loathed adults.

"So, young William. What do you want to be when you grow up?" Mr. Preston, one of his father's clients asked the young boy. William grinned.

"I want to be a pirate! With my trusty assistant by my side!" he declared. The lawyer frowned in disapproval. Mr. Young dipped his head in embarrassment.

"My apologies, Mr. Preston. William is... imaginative." he gushed.

"Yes, he believes that his infernal imaginary friend is real." Mrs. Young added, with a pointed glare at her son. William glowered back.

"He is real! You're just a big party pooper!" the 5 year old snapped. He turned and raced out of the room, blind with fury.

"William! Get back here this instant! I'm so sorry Mr. Preston..." the voices of his parents faded away as William stumbled into the streets, seeing red. Stupid parents. They didn't believe him. They didn't care about him. It was all just about his dad's stupid, useless job! Ugh! Those lame party poopers! Do this! Do that!

He staggered into the forest. Thorns and mud marring his fancy dress shirt. Crawling through the brambles, the young child contemplated what he would do now. What could he do? He was only 5. He had not inherited any of his fathers immense wealth. He heard a rustle behind him. His heart beat furiously in his chest. Spinning around, he let out a sigh of relief when he realised it was his father's friends.

"Hello, William..." Mr. Carson smirked, a cruel glint in his eye.

"H-hello, Mr. Carson." William stammered. Mr. Carson raised his fist, revealing a sharp object in his right hand. A knife. William gasped.

"Why- why do you have a knife?" he whimpered. Mr. Carson bent down to his level.

"It's quite simple, actually. If I want to get to the top of my business. I have to get rid of the competition. And that competition just happens to be your father." the business man explained. The young boy shrunk back.

"What does that have to do with me?" he protested. The lawyer grinned, maliciously.

"You see, while your father is busy planning your funeral... I will have time to rise up to the top." William shook his head.

"My father doesn't care about me. He won't even bother making a funeral for me." Mr. Carson cocked an eyebrow.

"He will as long as he doesn't want to be scorned in public." the man raised the knife. Everything went dark.

And there was no funeral for William Young...

* * *

**Okay, not very good. But it'll have to do. What did you think?**

**~ Isabelle**


	2. Chapter 1

**Oh, by the way... this takes place a few years after Phantom Planet. And here are the ages:**

**Ember: 16**

**Skulker: 18**

**Kitty: 16**

**Johnny: 16**

**YoungBlood: 5**

**Danny: 17**

**Sam: 16**

**Tucker: 16**

* * *

"You want me to what?" Danny Phantom asked, shocked. Clockwork gestured to the five ghosts behind him.

"These five ghosts have been chosen to get another chance at life. And you will be guiding them." the lord of time repeated. Sam and Tucker glanced at each other, worried.

"But... why now? Why can't you just send them back to their own times? Let them relive it then?" Danny protested. Clockwork shifted from senior to an infant.

"Danny Phantom, you know very well from personal experience... how altering even one moment in time can severely change the future." The hooded figure rebuked. It was strange, seeing such wise words being spoken by a child. Danny shifted back into his human form. He sighed in defeat.

"Alright, alright." he grumbled. Sam glanced at the five ghosts in question.

"They _will _have their powers taken away from them, right?" the goth inquired, concerned. Clockwork shook his head.

"Even I do not have the power to completely strip them of their powers. The best we can do is revert them into half ghosts-half mortals. Like yourself, Danny Fenton." Tucker opened his mouth to speak. But before he got the chance, Clockwork retreated back into the ghost portal. Ember smirked.

"Well, Fenton. Guess we're your new roommates."

* * *

"A chance to relive their lives?" Jazz's mouth fell to the floor, shocked. Maddie Fenton bit her lip.

"Oh... I don't know about this, Danny." she admitted. She glanced over to the five ghosts.

"Come on, mom. Apparently they had horrible lives when they were alive. They at least deserve a chance." Danny begged. Jack Fenton stroked his chin.

"As long as its safe... and this could be a great opportunity to test out my Fenton Ecto-Taser." Maddie frowned at her husband.

"Jack! We will not electrocute our guests!" she scolded. Jack pouted.

"Oh, alright. They can stay." he complied. Jazz on the other hand still looked unsure.

"Aren't these the ghosts who are always trying to rip you apart... and put your head on their walls?" Danny's older sister cocked an eyebrow. Skulker gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of his head. Sam gave an 'I told you so' look to her boyfriend. He looked away, embarrassed.

"Well, in his defence, I did permanently mess up his system." Danny pointed out, remembering how Tucker hacked into the suit's system.

"True." Jazz shrugged. "Well, as long as they don't try to murder you... I'm fine with it. And I can test out my theory on changes of personalities."

"Yeah, of course _that_ would be the reason." Kitty muttered under her breath.

* * *

The five ghosts had reverted into their mortal forms. It was so strange... seeing them look so... so normal. So human. Gone was the ghostly green skin and the glowing eyes. They looked how they did when they were alive.

Ember had wild, auburn hair in a high ponytail. But she still sported the same black tank and leggings. Dark make up and all. And of course her ever present guitar strapped to her back.

Kitty had honey golden curls and sparkling green eyes. She kept the same clothing, but removed the scarf.

Johnny looked pretty much the same. But his skin had ditched the gray tone. And his eyes were deep azure blue.

Young William now had shaggy brown hair and a simple t-shirt and shorts. A bright, cheerful grin graced his features.

But Skulker... was the most surprising. He was actually of average height. Actually even a few inches taller than Danny.

"Skulker... aren't you supposed to be all tiny and stuff? Isn't that why you got bullied when you were alive?" Tucker asked. Ember smirked.

"Guess he finally hit puberty after all those years in the Ghost Zone." she joked. Sam stroked her chin, thoughtfully.

"Well, they were granted another chance at life because they lived a horrible one. So I guess it makes sense that he would be taller now. That way, he won't be bullied." she thought it over. It made sense. The others nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Okay, guys. You remember how school works, right?" Danny asked. Johnny rolled his eyes.

"Of course we do, little man. How old do you think we are?"

"Uh..."

The seven teenagers made their way into the hallways of Casper High.

"Hey look! It's Ember McLain!" Dash yelled. Heads turned.

"Ember!"

"Ember McLain!"

"I love you Ember!"

"I'm your biggest fan!"

For a split second, Ember's fiery auburn hair flickered and shot sparks. The pop diva grinned. Danny frowned.

"Don't try anything, Ember." he warned. This just made the rock star grin even wider. But she put her hands up in surrender.

"Don't worry, dipstick. I won't do anything." she consoled him. "For now..." the girl smirked, loving the obvious unease that settled over the ghost boy. Dash and Kwan sauntered over to them.

"We love you, Ember!" they cried in unison. Ember winced, a heavy sense of deja-vu washing over her. Paulina, Star and the other A-Listers hurried over to them. Paulina studied the rock diva.

"You took out the turquoise hair dye?" she noted.

"Oh... yeah. It faded out." she improvised. Star squealed.

"Well, I love it! Auburn hair looks totally awesome on you!" she gushed. Swarms of students surrounded Ember. Soon enough, the teachers had to intervene.

"Everyone better clear out right now, or you're all getting detention for the next two weeks!" Mr. Lancer hollered into his megaphone. Reluctantly, the students of Casper High moved out. Mr. Lancer nodded, satisfied. He glanced back to see what all the commotion had been about.

"Lord of the flies! It's you!" the unfit teacher pointed a shaky finger at Ember. "What are you doing here?" he demanded. Danny rushed forward to explain.

"Mr. Lancer! Uh... these guys... um, they-"

"Oh! You must be the new students!" Mr. Lancer beamed. Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" she drew back, surprised.

"Oh, yes. I've been expecting you. Welcome to Casper High. I'm going to leave now and completely forget that I hate Miss Ember McLain." he announced with an all-too-cheery attitude. The teacher turned and left. Johnny left the man's body and floated back to Kitty's side. Ember grinned.

"Nice." she complimented. Johnny mirrored her smile. Danny, on the other had, scowled.

"You can't just go around overshadowing people." he rebuked. Tucker and Sam glanced at one another. Kitty stepped forward to defend her boyfriend.

"Relax, he was just trying to help." she insisted. Danny snorted.

"Yeah, well maybe he should find a different way to _help_." with that, he walked away. His two friends stared after him. They looked at each other doubtfully.

Did their friend really not see the irony in his own words?

* * *

"I don't understand why _I_ have to pick YoungBlood up from daycare." Danny grumbled. Tucker and Sam walked beside him. Sam rubbed his back comfortingly.

"Hey, its not _that_ bad. You might get to know him better." she suggested. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Whoopee." he waved his finger in the air, sarcastically. He hunched over again. "And you know what the worst part is? Mom says I can't fly there, because the brat deserves to live a _normal_ childhood! So I have to walk there, and back!"

"Why are you so worked up about this?" Tucker prodded his best friend. Sam frowned at her boyfriend.

"Yeah, are you okay? You're not usually so worked up about something so little. Is there something you're not telling us?" she asked, concerned. The half ghost rolled his eyes.

"No! Everything is peachy keen! I have to go pick up the brat, and walk back. Cause he needs to have a _normal _childhood. I didn't have a normal childhood! I was raised with everything surrounding ghost hunting! You call that normal?" Danny realised that people were starting to stare. He sighed in exasperation. Sam and Tucker nodded in understanding. That was the problem with their friend. He would tend to keep all his emotions bottled up until he finally snapped. And when he exploded, he would lash out on others.

"Sorry, guys." Danny muttered. Tucker patted his back, and Sam squeezed his hand to show their forgiveness. It wasn't Danny's fault. People looked up to him as the great Danny Phantom so much that they often forgot that he had limits too. He was still half human, after all.

"Well, we're here." Tucker optimised. The three teens approached Sunny Stars Daycare. But the scene that greeted them was far from bright and cheery.

"Go away! We don't want you and your stupid imaginary friend playing with us!" A small girl with blonde pigtails pushed William away. He stumbled and collided with the bookshelf. Picture books and plastic figurines tumbled down from the shelf. The children laughed at William's misfortune. Colour flooded William's cheeks. His eyes flashed the same scarlet red.

"You meanies are going to pay for that!" he screeched. His outburst only amused his peers further.

"What are you going to do? Have your stupid imaginary friend fight for you?" they taunted. William's eyes glowed brighter. But before he could shoot, Danny grabbed him. The ghost ray shattered part of the roof and concrete came plummeting down. The children screamed in fear and rushed out to safety. William opened his mouth to speak. But Danny was already dragging him out the door, furious.

* * *

"Youngblood! You should have known better!" Danny snapped, pacing back and forth. The five now half-ghosts were assembled in the Fenton's lab, listening to Danny lecture the young child. "What were you thinking? You can't just go around using your powers like that! Now we're going to have to find you a new daycare. Ugh! Do you realise-"

"Danny, calm down." Sam cut off his rant, trying to comfort him. Danny turned on her.

"Calm down! I can't calm down! The little brat-" Danny was cut off once again.

"Hey give him a break! Yeah, he made a mistake. But its not the end of the world!" Kitty snapped. Skulker nodded in agreement.

"Yes whelp, I mean, Danny. It was merely a mistake. I'm sure-"

"Yeah, it was a mistake! I get that! But what happens if he can't control his temper? What if I'm not there next time! He could kill somebody with his stupid-"

"Hey dipstick! Lay off the kid! Stop acting like you're all high and mighty! He died when he was a kid for crying out loud! His parents never payed him any attention! Obviously he's going to make some mistakes! But that's because his parents never taught him any better!" Ember snapped. Danny glared back at her. For a minute or two, they just glared at each other. Both refusing to back down. Finally, Danny whipped around on his heel and stalked up the stairs. Tucker and Sam followed suit, sending an apologetic glance back at the five ghosts.

* * *

"Here." Danny tossed a small, slim purple box to Skulker. The hunter stared at it in confusion. "Take one." Skulker flicked open the container and shook out a small purple pill. Warily, he popped it into his mouth, and swallowed. It was tasteless, kind of like eating starch. There was a light burning sensation in his stomach, and his hunger faded. Kitty glanced at it, suspiciously.

"What is that stuff?" she demanded.

"They will give you enough nutrients for a whole meal. My dad made them for me so that I wouldn't have to carry food around while I was on missions." Danny explained. Johnny stood up from the squatting position that he was in.

"So... what you're saying is that... that's dinner?" he clarified. Danny nodded curtly. Kitty stared in shock. 'Are you kidding me?' she thought. She knew Danny didn't like them, but he wasn't even going to let them eat real food? She huffed and reluctantly swallowed a pill. She passed the box around for the others to take a pill. Sitting back on one of the cots the Fenton's had set up, Kitty sighed.

How long would they have to live like this?

* * *

**So... what do you think? Not the best, I know. But, oh well.**

**~ Isabelle**


	3. Chapter 2

**No reviews for the last chapter :(**

**These are the names for the characters:**

**Ember: Ember McLain (Sophomore year)**

**Kitty: Katie Phillips (Sophomore year)**

**Johnny: Johnny Xavier (Sophomore year)**

**Skulker: Steven Hunter (Senior year)**

**Youngblood: William Young (Kindergarten/Daycare)**

* * *

"Miss Phillips? Would you like to remind us who exactly was Joan of Arc?" Mr. Lancer offered a sadistic smile, slamming his hands down on Katie's desk. The student was snapped out of her trance, and she blinked around in confusion. She glanced around, and blushed, realising she had a spot of drool on her cheek. Noticing Mr. Lancer staring at her, she finally realised she had been asked a question.

"Uh..." Katie racked her brain for the answer. "Pass?" The teacher raised an eyebrow, looking down at her condescendingly.

"I see. Well, Miss Phillips. I'll let you off with a warning this time. But if I catch you daydreaming one more time, then you're getting a one way ticket to detention." Mr. Lancer warned. Katie nodded, internally rolling her eyes. She heard snickering behind her and she turned to see her best friend smirking at her. She stuck her tongue out at Ember and turned to the board. But the exchange didn't go unnoticed by the teacher. Lancer frowned at Katie. She gulped, knowing she was already in trouble. Ember expected the same treatment, but to her own, and everyone else's surprise, Mr. Lancer smiled warmly at her. All the students at Casper High knew of Mr. Lancer's great disdain towards the rockstar. Yet here he was, beaming at her, as if they were the best of friends.

"Ah, Ember, my favorite student. Surely you know the answer, don't you?" Mr. Lancer held out his arms to Ember, as if expecting a hug. It took a while for the shock to wear off, but when it finally faded she was hit again with a wave of confusion. The pop diva recalled Johnny overshadowing the teacher, and she came to the realisation that the teacher's strange behaviour was Johnny's doing. She glared at her friend. In return, Johnny gave her a teasing thumbs up. When Ember too failed to answer the question, Mr. Lancer pouted, looking disappointed. Johnny felt a glare boring into the back of his head. And one that didn't belong to Ember. He turned around to see Danny snarling at him.

"What did you do to Mr. Lancer?" he hissed, having coming to the same conclusion as Ember. Johnny raised his hands in a 'calm down' motion.

"Relax, dude. I was just helping out Ember." he defended himself. Danny snorted. He opened his mouth to make a sarcastic remark, but the bell rang before he got the chance. Saved by the bell. Literally.

Ember, Katie and Johnny were dragged over to the A-Lister's table. Originally, they had only wanted Ember to come. But she refused to join them unless her two friends could come too.

"So, Ember. You dating anyone?" Dash placed one forearm on the table and leaned towards her. Ember's eyes flashed. Literally. She leaned back with a disgusted expression on her face.

"Yeah, I am." she confirmed. Dash huffed and leaned back, disappointed. Katie and Johnny both scooted closer to their friend and glared at the jock. The football star quickly regained his cocky smile. He leaned towards the girl of his interest.

"Well, I don't see him here." he noted, miming looking around.

"Turn around." a gruff voice demanded from behind him. Dash sighed, not expecting the large senior to be standing behind him. The athlete looked Steven up and down. Gulping, he made a noise similar to one of a mouse, and ran off. Steven Hunter, or Skulker sat down with a confident grin. Paulina and Star raised their eyebrows, impressed. Not much scared Dash. But considering that Steven was the same size as his robotic suit, it didn't come as much of a surprise. Steven scooted closer to his girlfriend. Ember shot him a sarcastic smile.

"Good job! It's only your first week and you've already managed to scare people off!" she mock praised.

Danny glared at them from afar, leaning back in his chair. Sam and Tucker shared a glance, worried for their friend. But before they could voice the question, Danny spoke up.

"Hmph. Look at them, basking in all their popularity. Cause they're _so_ special, aren't they?" he crossed his arms and leaned back into his seat. Danny and his friends weren't still considered losers in their school. They're popularity had increased significantly once Danny's alias had been revealed, for obvious reasons.

"You know, they _did _offer for you to become one of them. You know, once they found out you were Danny Phantom and stuff." Tucker reminded him. Danny rolled his eyes, still slouching back in his chair.

"I don't want to be popular just because I'm Danny Phantom. If I had to be popular, I would want it to be because I'm Danny Fenton." Sam and Tucker glanced at each other. Did Danny really not remember the Paulina accident? Granted, it had actually been Kitty overshadowing Paulina, and there had been a deeper plot underlying it. But he hadn't known that at the time!

"How dare they?" a voice boomed from outside. A rush of cold air escaped Danny's lips. Yeah, no kidding. Out of old habits, Danny almost dived under a table before changing into his ghost form. But he remembered that his identity had already been revealed. Two fluorescent white rings circled his body. They separated and where Danny Fenton had once stood, Danny Phantom now was. Applause erupted throughout the room as Danny turned intangible and rocketed through the ceiling.

"Go get 'em, Danny Phantom!" Paulina swooned. Sam glared at her from across the cafeteria, but couldn't really blame the hispanic cheerleader. After all, Danny had really grown over the past few years. He no longer was the lanky, awkward teenager that was just entering puberty. Muscle from years of ghost fighting had evened out his form. He was actually quite attractive.

The ghost boy floated out to face his opponent. She had long, silky black hair. She sported a blue and pink harem girl outfit, while bangles and bands adjourned her arms. Instead of legs, she had a long mermaid-like ghost tail.

"Desiree. Hey, why don't you go ruin someone else's life?" Danny suggested. But the genie's attention was not on him. Her gaze was fixed on four students within the campus. Her eyes blazed ruby red with fury.

"How dare they? I should be the one to have another chance! ME! Did I not suffer enough in life? Was I not humiliated? Banished? Deprived of everything I was promised? And _they_ were chosen to have a second life?" she ranted, blind with rage. Danny followed her gaze, and realised she was glaring at Ember, Kitty, Johnny and Skulker. The ghost charged down at the school, ready to wreak havoc. For a moment, he actually considered allowing her to do so. Get those five half-ghosts off his hands. He gave himself a little slap. What was he thinking? There were innocent people in there. And Desiree surely wouldn't stop at their expense. He dived after her and grabbed her by the hair. She screeched in pain and outrage. Turning around, she growled and leaped at him, clawing his face with her sharp nails. Her hand began to glow a ghostly green. Danny's eyes widened and he placed up an ecto-shield. Desiree's blast bounced harmlessly off the shield and ricocheted back to the sender. The ghoul gasped and dived out of the way just in time.

Danny raised his fist to deal a blow, but before he could, a black shadow leaped on his opponent. Desiree squealed in shock. Danny recognised the shadow, it was Johnny's bad luck shadow. He whipped his head to the right. Ember, Kitty, Johnny and Skulker were assembled, ready to fight.

"Get out of here!" Danny snapped. Kitty shook her head.

"No way. Desiree's here for us. This is our fight too!" she persisted. Desiree lunged at Danny and the two ghosts found themselves locked in close combat.

"I can handle this by myself! Now change back before someone sees you!" Danny insisted through gritted teeth. The five ghosts shared an uneasy glance. Finally they relented and left the battle scene.

"You can't hide us forever, Danny Phantom." Kitty muttered under her breath.

Meanwhile, students were watching from within the cafeteria, cheering for their ghost idol.

"Wow... I wish I could be a half ghost just like Danny Phantom!" Dash sighed. Desiree smirked and raised her arms. Her hand glowed a bright, bubblegum pink.

"So you wished it, so it shall-"

"NO!" Danny made a wild dash for the ghost. He grabbed his Fenton Thermos and aimed it at Desiree.

"Nooo!" she shrieked as she was sucked inside the thermos. Danny heaved a sigh of relief. The students rushed outside to congratulate their hero.

No one noticed a certain five students shying away from the crowd.

* * *

"Let me make this clear. You do not transform on school grounds. You do not transform where people can see you. Don't transform in public. In fact, why don't you just not transform at all! You're supposed to be living 'normal' lives, aren't you?" Danny paced back and forth. Youngblood and Ember rolled their eyes at each other. Somehow, this seemed awfully familiar.

"So let me get this straight, you just want us to act like we don't even have our ghost abilities?" Skulker frowned. Danny stopped and thought.

"Yep, pretty much." he confirmed. Johnny snorted and nudged his girlfriend.

"Hypocrite much?" he smirked. Kitty covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggles. An unsuccessful attempt. Danny glared at her. But his fierce gaze did not hold for long. His shoulders slumped and his head drooped. Finally, he sighed in defeat.

"I-I know. You're right." he swallowed. The other six ghosts blinked in surprise, puzzled at Danny's sudden change in demeanour. They glanced at one another, unsure of what to say. What had caused the boy's sudden gloominess? Danny gave them a curt nod and stumbled up the stairs.

* * *

**Short, but I guess no ones reading this anyway so it doesn't matter...**

**Please review!**

**~ Isabelle**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Guess what? The last chapter wasn't a complete failure, and I actually got some reviews... but only like, three. *Sigh* I really need to get a life. **

**Disclaimer: I think I forgot this on the last chapter, but anyways, I don't own DP**

* * *

A week had passed since the encounter with Desiree. No one spoke of Danny's sudden change of attitude that night. There was an unspoken rule never to mention it. Danny had regained his harsh demeanour, treating the ghosts cruelly. Awkward silences were much longer. Sam and Tucker tried their best to make the former ghosts feel welcome. But Danny had no such regards. It seemed as if he was actually going out of his way to make them uncomfortable!

Things between the five guests were awkward as well. They had started going their own way, separating between themselves. Johnny and Kitty were beginning to drift away from the A-Listers. They had begun to create their own clique, much to Paulina and Dash's disgust. Ember too had separated herself from the popular group. She stayed with her fellow music lovers, and had even considered making her own band. Skulker had joined the football team, the game somehow coming naturally to him. The coach had immediately taken a liking to him. Skulker was now Casper High's star quarterback. Youngblood had started over in a new daycare, this time managing _not_ to blow anything up. And the teachers found his pirate talk endearing, they never bossed him around or told him what to do. They were all living in their own paradises. Practically the complete opposite of their former lives.

Danny was fine with this. He was perfectly comfortable not socialising with the ghosts until he returned home. He had no problem avoiding them at all costs. In his mind, he was doing a fine job taking care of the five halfas. Danny provided them with all their basic needs. Water, the nutrients pills, clean clothes, and he gave them a roof to live under. They didn't need more than that, right? The town hero had given them everything a human needed to survive. So why did they seem so uncomfortable?

"Danny, they deserve some real food." his mother would often chide.

"Danny, its not good for them to just eat those pills." Jazz would rebuke him. But the young Fenton would simply roll his eyes and cross his arms. What he was doing was the best option, and it was not up for debate.

Of course, the reborn ghosts often thought of leaving the Fenton residence? But where would they go? Where _could_ they go? As much as they hated to admit it, Danny's house was the best option for them.

"Danny?" Sam called softly. She sat down on the pier, watching the ships trail back and forth in the silky water. She turned to where her boyfriend was sitting. "What's wrong?" she urged. Danny avoided her gaze, staring at his reflection.

"How d'you know there's something wrong?" he muttered. Sam rolled her eyes, half irritated, half affectionate.

"Well, you hardly talked at all during school, you didn't go home after school, and you're acting all sad." Sam noted. Danny sighed and lay down on his back, staring up at the blue sky.

"I... I just feel... strange. Almost guilty. And I don't know why." Danny groaned. Sam lay down in a similar position, kissing his cheek.

"Well... have you done anything lately that would make you feel guilty?" she prompted. Danny was silent, as if thinking.

"Sam, do you think I've been treating them poorly?" he confided. Sam blinked, puzzled.

"Who?" she asked, knitting her eyebrows together.

"You know... Ember, Kitty, Skulker and the others." Danny explained. Sam bit her lip. What should she say? Of _course_ she thought Danny had been treating them poorly. But that wouldn't exactly be very spirit lifting, would it? She heaved a sigh.

"Well, you haven't exactly been treating them the best that you could." she admitted. Danny nodded, expecting this.

"Yeah..." he murmured, deep in thought. "Its just..." Sam leaned towards him eagerly. Danny needed to confide in someone. When he keeps his emotions bottled up like that, it often comes out in bursts of anger and frustration.

"Yes?" she urged, maybe sounding a bit too eager. Danny looked at her strangely, confused by her enthusiastic manner. She smiled apologetically, but circled her hands in a 'go on' motion. Her boyfriend complied.

"I just find it kind of unfair that they get a second chance. I mean... it's just not fair. I didn't get a second chance at my childhood. Did I get another first Christmas when my parents ruined it? Did I get another chance at my childhood when my parents infested it with ghost hunting? My whole life..." Danny trailed off. Sam stared, mouth agape at his answer. Seriously? That's why he was treated the resurrected ghosts so unkindly? Did he not hear the stories of their lives? Did he not remember how horrible their lives had been? Sam took a deep breath. Danny was feeling bad enough, he didn't need her yelling at him. The goth swallowed her anger and turned back to him.

"Danny... I know, you're life has been pretty tough. It's been a lot harder than most kids... but, no offense, compared to their lives, their deaths... your childhood kinda seems like a walk in a park." Sam's soothing tone turned blunt as she finished her sentence. Danny tipped his head to her, puzzled.

"They told you about their lives?" he inquired, confused. Sam furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes! Weren't you listening when they were telling us about how they died?" she chastised. Danny rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly.

"Heh... I guess I was too busy uh... moping to listen to that part." he ducked his head in embarrassment. Sam's eyes widened in realisation.

"You mean... you don't know about their deaths?" she repeated. Danny glared at her.

"Look, I'm feeling guilty enough. I don't need you adding more to that." he grumbled. His girlfriend sat up, her brain wheeling.

"Danny, you have to listen. You really need to hear their stories. I mean... I could hardly bear to listen to them... oh man, how am I going to manage to tell them?" Sam ranted to herself. Danny placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Just... start from the beginning." he advised. Sam took a deep breath, and gulped, thinking of the horrible tales she was about to tell.

"Okay... let's start with Ember's story..."

* * *

"Ugh! Can you turn off your ego for just one minute!" Ember grumbled, covering her ears with her hands. Skulker glared at her.

"Aren't you the one who hypnotised the whole world just so you could hear your own name being said over and over again." he pointed out. Ember rolled her eyes and smirked.

"But hey, you have to admit, I looked pretty good while doing it." she flicked her long teal hair behind her shoulder. Skulker snorted.

"Please, I probably looked much better when I hunted the whel- I mean Danny." the hunter stuck his nose in the air. His girlfriend crossed her arms.

"Yeah, I bet you also look great when your little shrimp of a body is getting your but kicked by that dipstick." she shot back. Skulker, within his metallic suit grumbled some very unintelligent things.

"Well did you see your face when you were getting sucked inside his annoying thermos? Or did you forget that you were on national television?" the robotic ghost smirked. Ember's playful scowl turned into one of pure anger.

"Never speak of it!" she snapped. Skulker's expression mirrored hers.

"I told you never to talk about my actual size!" he reminded her. Ember hands began to glow, plasma began to form at her fingertips. Skulker's eyes widened. He quickly readied his guns. He hoped he wouldn't have to use them, but he wasn't just going to stand there if Ember looked ready to attack. Fortunately for him, footsteps began to echo throughout the lab. Both ghosts immediately dropped their fighting stance. They quickly changed back into their human form, assuming it was Danny.

"Oh! Hi! I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Maddie waved to them cheerfully as she entered the lab. Ember forced a smile.

"No, nothing at all." she managed through gritted teeth. Skulker copied her cheerful façade. Maddie grinned.

"Well, I won't be staying long. I just came down to grab this." Mrs. Fenton picked up a small test tube from her work table and retreated upstairs. Ember and Skulker glared at one another once again.

This was not over...

* * *

"Oh man... I messed up big time." Danny scratched the back of his neck. Sam smiled at him encouragingly. She reached over to take his hand in hers.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Danny. It's nothing you can't fix." the couple smiled fondly at the faint deja vu.

"Yeah, but... seriously, I treated them like crap. Ugh, I gotta go fix this." Danny stood up, holding his hand out for Sam. She grabbed it and pulled herself up. Her boyfriend took off running towards the Fenton household. The two ran hand in hand towards Fenton Works. Sam smiled at her boyfriend.

He truly was a hero...

* * *

Steven was fed up with his girlfriend. Did she really have to go and criticise everything he did? She was such a hypocrite! Steven walked into the dark alleyway. He swayed his head back and forth, as if looking for something. Or someone.

"You asked me to come here?" a feminine voice called from behind him. Steven whipped around, smirking.

"You came."

* * *

**A bit short, but I really want to get something up.**

**~ Isabelle**


	5. Chapter 4

"D-don't you have a girlfriend?" a beautiful blonde girl hissed, sinking further back into the shadows. Her acquaintance looked down at her in amusement. He placed his index fingers on her lips. The girl's pale cheeks flushed bright scarlet.

"Shh..." the boy commanded. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her." he smirked. The girl nodded and leaned in for another kiss. The two locked lips, oblivious to the world around them. Oblivious to the footsteps that echoed from outside. And oblivious to the girl who entered the room.

"Skulker?" she screeched, horrified. The kissing couple jumped apart. Steven's eyes widened, he jumped away from Star and opened his mouth to explain.

"It's not what it looks like!" he protested. Ember glared at him, eyes aglow with fury.

"Oh, really? Cause it looks like you've been down here sharing spit with some random gank!" she snarled. Steven bit his lip, looking for an explanation.

"I..."

"Yeah. That's what I thought." Ember growled. Steven sighed.

"You didn't even give me a chance to explain!" he threw his arms up in the air, exasperated.

"What's there to explain? You've been cheating on me!" his girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend? screamed, on the brink of hysterics.

"Well, maybe if you didn't criticise everything that I do, I wouldn't feel the need to cheat!" he increased his voice to the same volume. The blonde cheerleader looked between the two, uncertainly.

"Uh... I think I'm going to go now." Star announced as she backed away in fear. But the arguing duo payed no attention to her.

"You know what? We're over!" Ember whipped around. Steven didn't bother going after her. He knew this was going to happen sooner or later. They both knew it. Their arguments had become more vicious, more frequent.

"Good luck finding someone that'll put up with your big mouth!" Steven yelled after her. The words slipped out before he could stop them.

"Good luck finding someone that'll put up with your ego!" Ember shot back, needing to have the last word. Without giving him a chance to respond, she stormed off. Them both leaving a piece of them behind.

* * *

Eventually, the initial shock wore off, leaving Ember with a excruciatingly heavy heart. Two tubs of ice cream later, the stinging pain faded, and a dull aching ache remained in the rock diva's heart.

She had called her best friend over, Kitty had obliged immediately, quickly running to the Fenton household. When she finally found the heartbroken girl, she was in Jazz's room. Jazz was interrogating her with question, playing the therapist role. Kitty quickly cut in, reassuring Jazz that she would take it from there. Most girls scream and cry into their pillows after a heartbreak. But Ember was not most girls. She refused to cry over him, over a _boy_. Not after last time. Did she even remember how to cry? All these years of bottling up her pain. Her emotions. It had been so long since she cried. But she was no longer that weak teenage girl. She was not Rebecca McLain anymore, and she wouldn't cry. Yet, Ember found herself curled up in Kitty's arms, shaking. What was going on? She realised she was sobbing. Letting out all the years of pain and sorrow.

"Shh... it's okay. Let it out." her best friend soothed. She checked the clock on the wall. Where was Johnny? He was supposed to be here!

* * *

Johnny was conflicted as to what to do. Yes, Ember had been his friend for years. They had known each other since 5th grade. But he _could_ relate to Steven's dilema. He loved Kitty, with all his heart. But she tended to be... judgemental. She would freak out about the smallest of things. And Steven needed support right now. The two had been dysfunctional, but they were right for each other.

Anyways, Ember had Kitty to comfort her. If he left, Steven would be alone. Johnny sighed and sat next to his friend, rubbing his back.

"Come on, dude. You guys have broken up before. But you always get back together." he attempted to lift his friend's mood. Steven shook his head solemnly.

"I really messed up this time... I'm such an idiot. I never should have... ugh!" the hunter slammed his fists down on the ground of the dark alleyway. He hadn't bothered leaving the alley. He was in too much dispair. Where his fists had impacted the brick floor, there was now two cracks. Unfortunately, he was still in his human form. He winced and rubbed his hands.

"What do you mean... what did you do?" Johnny urged, confused. Steven sighed.

"I... I cheated on her." he admitted. Johnny did a double take. He frowned at Steven, he was very close to Ember, and he didn't appreciate him hurting her.

"Whoa man, that's really uncool." he rebuked.

"I know..." Steven groaned. Johnny sighed and bit back his disapproval. Steven needed comforting, not more guilt.

* * *

"Wait, so you're telling me that you're taking Skulker's side on this?" Kitty shrieked into the phone. Johnny winced, pulling the phone slightly away from his ear.

"Well... yeah. He need support right now." he explained.

"So does Ember! She is our best friend! Or did you forget that?" his girlfriend demanded. Johnny sighed.

"Look, Kitty. Skulker is really upset. And he needs someone who can relate to him-" Johnny bit down on his tongue. But it was too late, he was really going to get it now.

"What do you mean you can relate to him!?" Kitty's volume increased even more. Johnny cursed to himself.

'Me and my big mouth!' he thought to himself.

"Nothing." he tried to reassure her. With no prevail.

"No! You meant something! What did you mean when you said that?" Kitty snapped. Johnny realised he was only digging further in the hole he was already in.

"I just meant, that sometimes you... overreact a bit." he attempted to sugarcoat his explanation.

"Excuse me?" his girlfriend's tone was dangerously low.

'I just cannot win here, can I' Johnny thought.

"Okay, you know what? Call me when you're not gonna be a jerk!" Kitty screeched. _Beeeeep. _The line went dead.

* * *

Ember sat by the dock, staring into the sparkling blue water. Beside her, lay many pictures of her ex-boyfriend. She smirked as she shredded them and threw their remains into the ocean.

"Stupid dipstick..." she grumbled. She picked yet another photo of Skulker. She stared at it, it was of Skulker and her at their first Christmas party together. They looked so... happy. What had happened to them? How did they go from cloud 9 to rock bottom?

She sighed and looked down at herself in contempt.

"Ugh, I'm so pathetic." she sighed. She stood up, ready to go home.

But as she leaned over to pick up the pictures, she slipped.

And plunged into the cold, dark ocean.

* * *

**K, I know. It's short. But, whatevs. Btw, did anyone catch the Victorious reference? **

**~ Iz**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yay! I actually got a review for the last chapter! *Cue high pitched fangirl scream*. I just realised that the prologue and the story might not match up. Because the backstories might not match what it says in the story. Oh well. Anyways... enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP**

* * *

Ember opened her mouth to scream, but salty water spilled in as she plunged into the unwelcoming ocean. She started to splutter and choke as the saltwater entered her mouth. The water stung her eyes, but she forced them to stay open. Murky darkness surrounded her and she flailed her arms around in panic, but the water surrounding her slurred her movements. Her heart beat fast, threatening to burst out of her chest. Her whole body shook, partially from the cold, and partially from... well Ember didn't really know. It was an emotion foreign to her, yet it seemed vaguely familiar. She had experienced it in her human life. In her last dying moments. Fear. Fear of being forgotten. Ember tried to go ghost, but in the blind panic, she couldn't change form. Her lungs begged for air, Ember opened her mouth as if to gasp for oxygen. But only water filled her lungs. The rocker's struggles only got weaker and weaker. She felt herself sinking towards the sandy bottom. The girl heard muffled noises above her. She could see the silhouettes of people above her, gathering at the spot she had fallen. Yet none of them bothered to go after her. She would be forgotten. Again. She couldn't cry out, her voice made no sound. She couldn't swim upwards, she was already too weak. It was too late. They say that in your last dying moments, you feel a strange calm. And that may have been the case for the first time. But now, Ember felt regret. She was only just reincarnated. And now she was dying again.

Kitty... her best friend. They had stuck together through thin and thick. Through life and death. They had been as close as sisters, despite their frequent arguments. How could Ember survive without her? They had lived, loved, and died. They shared everything. It was always Ember and Kitty, Kitty and Ember. How could Ember just be Ember. Without her beloved sister by her side.

Johnny... one of her closest friends. The boy who she had thought was a jerk. The boy she met in 5th grade. The boy the both hated and loved. He was like a brother to her. He was the one that had stuck with her no matter how tough the situation. He was the one that she thought she loved, but she realised that she couldn't date her brother. She'd always love him. As a brother. As a friend.

Skulker... the hunter who drove her crazy. The ghost who made her want to rip her hair out. He seemed to bring out the worst in her. And yet... she was always drawn back to him. What was it, that she hated so much, yet loved? Deep inside, she knew that she didn't really hate him. She wanted to hate him. But she couldn't.

Youngblood... he could relate to her. No matter how old they grew, they would always be children at heart. The youngster had become like a little brother to her. She would miss his annoying comments, and his carefree personality.

Danny... the famous hero. A hero that Ember had fallen in love with, yet couldn't. He was the good guy. He had her. The goth girl. How could Ember adore him so much, yet want to end his life? The dipstick. The idiot that she hated with a burning passion.

_Goodbye..._

* * *

"So... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." Danny clapped his hands together, and pursed his lips. Johnny furrowed his eyebrows.

"So what you're saying is that... you're sorry you treated us like crap... and now you want us to forgive you?" he summarised. Danny lifted a finger to speak, but closed his mouth again. He gave the statement a moment of thought and nodded.

"Yeah... pretty much." he confirmed, laughing nervously. The other half ghosts looked at one another. And then burst into laughter.

"As if, man!" Johnny chuckled. Skulker mimed wiping a tear from his eye (he was in his ghost form).

"Ha! That's hilarious!" the hunter howled.

"Are you serious, right now?" Kitty gasped for breath, her sides shaking with laughter.

"That's the best one I've ever heard!" Youngblood held his aching ribs, bending over, laughing. Danny scowled.

"Look! I'm trying to apologize here. The least you could do is at least pretend to accept it!" he cried, his face flushed red with embarrassment. The four ceased their laughter.

"Kid... you treated us pretty bad." Johnny pointed out.

"You made us eat pills!" Kitty added in. For a minute the two forgot their feud and grinned at each other. Before Kitty remembered her resentment and turned her back on him. Johnny sighed.

"Hey... where's Ember?" Youngblood asked. Johnny glanced sideways at his friend, worried at his reaction towards hearing about his ex-girlfriend. But Skulker seemed perfectly fine. Or at least, if he wasn't, it was not showing on the metallic mask. Kitty frowned in concern.

"I don't know. Earlier she told me that she had some _business _to do. And she wanted to be alone." her worries were growing more and more. "But she told me she'd be back in a few minutes. She should be here by now!" Skulker's heart skipped a beat.

'Relax.' he told himself. 'She's probably just running late. Don't freak out over nothing.' he reassured himself. But the seeds of doubt had already been planted in his mind.

"She's probably fine." Tucker waved it away. "Nothing to worry about." But Kitty couldn't shake away the feeling of uncertainty.

"I don't know... I feel like something's wrong. I'm going to go check on her. I last saw her heading for the docks." she explained, setting off after her best friend. Johnny hesitated, knowing he was on thin ice with his girlfriend, but followed after. Danny contemplated whether or not to follow, but eventually he too exited the lab and headed towards the seaside. Skulker wanted to follow, but he felt unwelcome. Kitty had been giving him the cold shoulder, and he couldn't blame her. Skulker had too felt like something was off. Maybe it was just the absence of Ember's snarky comments. No. There was definitely something wrong. Or was he just being paranoid? As usual, the logical side of his brain lost, and Skulker hurried towards the docks, leaving Youngblood by the portal.

* * *

"What happened?"

"Some girl fell down into the water!"

"Is she okay?"

"Doubt it, she's been down there for ages!"

"Why doesn't somebody help her?"

"No point! She can't still be alive!"

"Hey, hey, hey. What happened here?" Danny pushed through the bustling crowd. A stocky, burly man turned to him.

"A girl fell down into the water, still hasn't come up!" he explained. Danny's eyes widened, horrified.

"Why isn't anyone helping her! We got to get her out of there!" he protested. The man shook his head, sympathetically.

"Sorry, son. She's been down there for much too long. It's too late for her." he patted Danny's shoulder. The halfa felt his blood boil. These citizens had just sat around, while a girl was down there drowning? What was wrong with them? He shrugged off the man's hand in annoyance.

"I'm going ghost!" he called out. As usual, two glowing white rings surrounded him and he was transformed into Danny Phantom. He struggled through the crowd and crouched at the edge of the dock. Taking a deep breath, he plunged in to the cold water. For a moment, the shock of the cold stunned him. But he forced himself to focus. An idea struck him. Danny closed his eyes and turned intangible. Big mistake. The current pushed all the oxygen out of his lungs, replacing it with water. The hero scrambled for the surface, when he broke the surface he gasped for air. Becoming intangible allowed him to move quickly through the water, but he still needed air. Danny frowned, he would have to plan this carefully. Unfortunately, he did not have much time. He had to hurry, for the girl's sake. Taking another gulp of air, Danny dived in once more. The salt stung his eyes, but he had to keep them open. He blinked a few times, allowing them to become accustomed to the murky darkness.

Phantom ignored his urge to turn impalpable so he could swim faster. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Rocketing towards the bottom of the ocean, Danny scanned the sandy floor, looking for the girl. There! It was hard to make out in the dark, but he could see a figure lying on the sandy bottom. Danny sped towards it. He could feel his lungs aching, begging for air. The ghost ignored its pleas and sped towards the figure. Soon, he was close enough to make out her facial features.

'Ember?' Danny gasped as he recognised the girl. He shook away his surprise and lifted her in his arms. He could feel the pressure of the ocean above him, beginning to crush him. Danny could withstand it for a while longer, as his ghost powers enforced his durability. But he was more concerned about Ember. She was still in her human form, and the pressure of the water, and lack of oxygen could not be good for her. Danny tried his best to swim towards the surface, Ember a dead weight in his arms. He felt his shoulders slumping, his eyelids drooping, his heartbeat slowing. No! They would not both die down here! With a newfound burst of strength, Danny closed the distance between him and the surface.

The waiting crowd burst into cheer as their hero reached the surface.

"Yeah, Danny Phantom!"

"You did it!"

"Whoo!"

Kitty gasped as she saw her best friend in his arms. Was she okay? Was she breathing? She glared at the enthusiastic crowd. This was not a time for praise. This was a time for worry! And panic! Kitty rushed forward to receive Ember in her arms! Oh, she never should have let Ember go off by herself! Johnny crouched down beside her. Considering their recent argument, Kitty would have snapped at him. But due to their mutual concern for their friend, they were willing to put forth more pressing matters.

"Danny, you did it!" Sam congratulated her boyfriend, pulling him up from the water. Danny nodded weakly. His knees gave way as he collapsed on the floor. His whole body convulsed, as he was racked with coughs and splutters. Sam's eyes widened in concern. She knelt down beside him, and helped Danny sit up. She slapped his back, encouraging him to relieve his lungs of the salt water. Tucker too sat beside him, watching anxiously.

"Dude, you okay?" he pressed. Sam glared at him. Really? Did it _look_ like he was okay? Tucker bit his lip. "Sorry, standard question." Danny offered a weak smile.

"It's okay." he chuckled, wheezing slightly. "I... I-" Danny's head lolled as he slumped back.

"Oh my gosh! Tucker! Go get help!" was the last thing he heard, before everything went black.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Danny groaned in annoyance as the continuous beeping pulled him from the depths of unconsciousness.

"He's coming to!" a voice cried. Danny's eyes flickered open. He could make out a few blurry shapes, hovering over him. A harsh, bright light shone over him, and Danny's eyes slammed shut once more. He moaned, uncomfortably, and rolled over on his sides.

"Danny, are you okay?"

"How are you feeling, honey?"

"Dude, you feeling alright?"

The questions were fired at him, barely giving Danny any time to register them.

"Everybody, give him some space." a firm, demanding voice ordered them. The voices fell silent. Danny took a deep breath and finally managed to open his eyes once more. His mom, dad, Sam and Tucker were surrounding him, their faces showing their deep concern. Danny was shocked. He had never seen his dad look so serious.

"How are you feeling, son?" Jack pressed. Danny groaned.

"Honestly? My head is killing me." he replied. Maddie frowned. She stroked her son's forehead, softly.

"Oh, Danny..." she sighed, sorrowfully. Danny gave her a comforting smile. Then he frowned.

"How long was I out?" he inquired. Sam bit her lip. Tucker avoided eye contact. Danny frowned. "How long?" he repeated. Sam sighed.

"Danny... you've been out for almost a month." she admitted. Danny did a double take.

"A-a month?" he repeated in shock. Tucker laughed nervously.

"Well, technically it was only 3 weeks, 5 days, 7 minutes, and... 58 seconds." he offered, optimistically. Danny blinked.

"A month?" he repeated. Maddie wrapped an arm around her son.

"The lack of oxygen, as well as the all stress you've been going through this week added up and you passed out." she explained. Danny groaned, rubbing his head. Suddenly, his head shot up.

"What happened to Ember?" he demanded. Jack's expression turned sorrowful.

"Well... you should come see for yourself." he encouraged.

* * *

**Sorry for the major delay. But I wrote a whole lot but I forgot to save it. I got so frustrated and I didn't feel like rewriting. **

**~ Isabelle**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, I just got back from Bei Jing (for a school trip), and surprisingly, I got a lot of review so far! Thx, guys. Oh, and I'm unsure if I should keep this EmberXSkulker, DannyXSam. Or should I do DannyXEmber? Please vote.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP**

* * *

Jack beckoned for his son to follow him. Danny got up uncertainly, he felt his stomach churning. Why did everyone look so concerned? Was Ember okay? Danny realised that his parents had set up the same kind of tent structure as they had when Vlad, Sam and Tucker had the ecto-acne. Danny followed his dad and they came to a halt next to a curtain. Mr. Fenton glanced down at his son, and reluctantly pulled away the curtain, revealing Ember, lying on a medical bed. Danny's eyes widened, and he stepped forward.

"Ember?" he gasped. His eyes scanned over all the wires and machines that she was hooked up to. Jack rested a hand on his shoulder. Danny turned to look at his father. "W-will she be okay?" he pressed. Jack's eyes flickered, he heaved a sigh.

"We don't know, son. She's on life support right now. Chances of recovery, if any, are very minimal." he admitted, not wanting to sugarcoat the truth. Danny's breath hitched.

"No! She has to get better!" he protested. Maddie pursed her lips.

"Danny, she was down there for an awful long time." she pulled her son into a hug. Danny pulled free from her grasp.

"But... s- she can't die! She only just got another chance at life!" Sam frowned, why was Danny so concerned about Ember? She sighed. That wasn't the most important issue at the moment. Maddie wrapped her arms around Danny one more time. Soon, Jack, Sam and Tucker joined. Danny relaxed. He had forgotten how nice it was to just relax and enjoy time with his family. After all, he was still half human.

* * *

**Ember's POV**

I feel like I'm still drowning. In a sea of darkness. And I can't break the surface. I can't swim upwards. It's as if I'm floating in the ghost zone. And I see _his _face. Ethan. How is it, that after all these years I couldn't bury my feeling for him. He's always there. Laughing at me. Laughing at my foolishness, for thinking that anyone could love me. I can't reach out to him. My arms don't move. I can't turn away. My head refuses to look away. I can't run. My feet are glued to the floor. I can only watch and weep.

_Ethan._

_Skulker._

_Danny._

Why won't they go away? I hear their voices, forever echoing in my head. Is this my curse? To live in this eternal nightmare? And Skulker. He's always right there. Murmuring empty promises. Kitty and Johnny whisper words of comfort in my ear. My only source of salvation from this darkness. I'm not sure if they're real. Or just more hallucinations.

* * *

**Third Person POV**

Ember had been constantly drifting in and out of coma. A week passed. Then a month. And another. Slowly, they stopped visiting. Youngblood completely gave up on his big sister. Danny felt there was no hope for her. Eventually, Skulker couldn't stand seeing her like this. Johnny would come by every now and then.

But Kitty remained loyal. She refused to leave Ember's side. She hardly slept. Hardly ate. Hardly drank. She was slowly wasting away. But she didn't care. At least if she died, she would be right next to her best friend.

* * *

"Beware! For I am the Box Ghost! Master of all containers square!" the ghost declared. Danny groaned, turning around to face his foe. Could he even be considered that? Either way, he had to be disposed of.

"Seriously? Now?" he sighed. The Box Ghost scratched his chin thoughtfully, before throwing his arms high up in the air.

"Bewa-" the signature cry was cut short by a green plasma ray. Danny pumped his fist into his open palm.

"Seriously, I'm not in the mood." he growled. The Box Ghost opened his mouth to speak again.

"You're mood does not concern me! I am here to wreak havoc upon your school! Fear me, and my mighty boxes!" he announced. Danny lolled his head back, groaning.

"Going ghost!" he cried, listlessly. Once his street clothes had been transformed into the skin-tight suit, Danny rocketed into the air to meet the Box Ghost.

"Okay, Boxy. I'll give you two options. Either one, you get into the thermos. Or two, I'll make you!" the hero suggested, bringing his arm up in a uppercut blow. His fist connected with the ghost's jaw, and he was flung backwards. The Box Ghost waved away his blurred vision and summoned all the boxes in the courtyard. Kid's lunch boxes began drifting away from them, and up into the air.

"You will pay for that, Danny Phantom! For I, master of boxes, will bring you your doom!" the opposing ghost raised his chin defiantly, puffing out his chest, proudly. "Feel my wrath! As you are defeated, by boxe-" his rant soon changed to a cry of fright and indignation, as he was sucked into the Fenton Thermos. Danny rolled his eyes and transformed back into a human.

"Well, I guess he chose option 2, then." Tucker chuckled, patting Danny on the back. Danny smiled back. But there was no joy behind his smile. For weeks on end, all he had thought about was Ember. His conscience picked at him, the guilt increasing with each passing day.

"Yeah..." he murmured, staring off into the distance.

_Ember... I'm sorry._

* * *

"Kitten, please talk to me!" Johnny begged. His girlfriend simply stared straight ahead, silent. But Johnny was no longer begging for Kitty to stop ignoring him. Now he was begging, hoping for some kind of reaction. Kitty had not moved from her spot, for 5 days straight. She refused to eat, sleep, drink. She wanted her best friend. She _needed_ her best friend. Johnny heaved a sigh, finally giving up. He walked to the other side of Ember's bed.

"Ember... if you go... Kitty's going to follow soon after..." he murmured, grabbing his friend's hand. It was abnormally cold. Ember had always been pale, but now she was white as a sheet. Johnny's eyes scanned over the many machines that she was hooked up to. His vision began to blur. He didn't even bother wiping away the tear that slipped down his cheek.

"Johnny?" Kitty croaked. Her voice was raw and hoarse. Johnny's head snapped up.

"Kitten!" he gasped as Kitty's hair parted from her face. Johnny took in his girlfriend's appearance. Her eyes were bloodshot, and deep, purple bags adjourned her eyes. Her cheeks had hollowed out, and her once beautiful, silky locks had turned dry and frizzled.

"She's... she's not going to make it, is she?" she searched his eyes, hoping for reassurance.

"...Ember's strong. She'll make it through." he reassured her. He knew it was an empty promise. But he was trying to convince himself just as much as he was trying to convince her. Kitty merely nodded. He could tell she didn't believe him. But it was still nice to hear those words. Comfort that everything would turn out okay. Kitty stood up, her knees cracking as she did so. At first she was unbalanced, but she regained her composure and managed to make her way up the stairs. When she was halfway up the stairs, she turned back.

"Johnny... I- I... I love you." she managed out. Johnny was stunned into silence. She... she loved him? Did he love her? Of course he did!

"Kitten..." but before he could finish his sentence, Kitty had already whipped around and fled up the stairs. Johnny turned to his friend.

"Ember... you've gotta fight. For all three of us."

* * *

"It's all your fault!" Sam screamed in frustration. She glared at Ember's non-responding body. "Ugh! I wish you'd just die already! It's your fault! It's all your fault!" she screeched. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the sting of tears. Her fists clenched. It was all her fault!

Danny had been wallowed in guilt. He was becoming less responsive, and more blunt.

_"Danny... you've got to eat something!" Sam protested, placing a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. Danny shrugged it off, groaning. Sam persisted, sliding the plate of food towards him._

_"No..." he refused. Sam frowned._

_"Danny..." she objected._

_"I said no." he growled, firmly. _

_"You have to-"_

_"Shut up! Just piss off!" Danny snapped, standing up and stomping out of the room._

Danny never talked to her like that. And it was happening more frequently. Once he had almost hit her. Almost. He was becoming borderline abusive. But he was a hero, he knew what was right and what was wrong. And he would never cross that line. But Sam was becoming unsure. She was starting to lose faith in her boyfriend. What if he chose to cross that line?

"It's... It's all your fault!" Sam insisted. Her shoulder slumped. Her form collapsed, she pulled herself into a ball. Salty tears spilled out as she sobbed into her hands.

"Sam?"

"...Ember?"

* * *

**K, there's the chapter! Please remember to vote! DannyXSam or DannyXEmber?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well... it was a pretty close shot... but DannyXSam won. **

**But... I don't want to let anyone down... and I started writing this, until two more reviews came in (changing it from Ember to Sam) so how 'bout a compromise? I'll make it DannyXEmber for now, but I promise the outcome will be DannyXSam and SkulkerXEmber. Cuz honestly, I was kinda hoping DannyXEmber would win. No offence.**

**And BTW, this is totally unrelated... But I am lovin' my new haircut!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DP, sadly**

* * *

"...E-Ember?" Sam stuttered.

"No, it's Bob Hope." Ember retorted, sitting up. She winced, rubbing her head. "Ugh, what happened?"

_Salty water flooded her mouth._

Ember shook away the blurry vision.

_She struggled to reach the surface._

_Her lungs begged for air._

She felt her chest tightening at the horrible memory.

_Kitty. Johnny. YoungBlood._

_Ethan. Skulker. Danny._

Her head spun with thoughts and visions.

"Aren't I supposed to be dead?" she cocked an eyebrow. Sam managed to shake away the initial shock. Her eyes darkened.

"If only..." Sam muttered under her breath. Unfortunately for her, Ember's keen musician's ear still managed to pick up her curse. She smirked.

"Guess you jinxed it, Baby Pop." she grinned. Sam blinked.

"W-what?" she stammered, face flushing red. Ember narrowed her eyes.

"You do know that people can hear things in coma, right?" she challenged. The goth gasped in realisation.

"I- I" she scrambled for a legitimate answer. But none came to her mind. What could she say? Luckily, she was saved by the sound of footsteps pounding down the stairs.

"What happened? We heard someone shouting!" Jack Fenton exclaimed, holding out his flashlight.

"Ember?" Kitty breathed. She blinked, not believing the sight before her eyes. She was awake! She was finally awake! Was this a dream?

"You're awake!" Johnny cried out in elation. He charged over and scooped his friend up in a massive hug. Kitty squealed in delight, jumping in to join them.

"Whoa, whoa. Yeah, I'm awake." Ember squeezed her way out of the surrounding arms. She gave herself a moment to breathe, before she was tackled once more.

"Ember!" YoungBlood leaped up to meet the girl who had come to be like a sister to him. Ember sighed, irritated. But allowed herself a smile, uncharacteristic, affectionate smile towards the young child.

"Hey, kid." she greeted, ruffling his hair. Maddie and Jack pushed their way forwards.

"How are you, dear?" Maddie inspected the young teenager. "Oh, I can't believe your actually awake! You had us all worried! Especially Danny." she pulled the girl in for a hug. Ember frowned, puzzled.

"The dipstick?" she whispered under her breath. Why would Danny be worried about her? He was Danny Phantom. The boy who had kicked her butt time and time again. The boy who crammed her inside a tiny thermos and tossed her back into the ghost zone. Why would he have any concern over her well being?

* * *

**Ember's POV**

I glanced over at Danny, he was standing at the edge of the group. He looked... relieved? Guilty? Uncertain? What was wrong with the dipstick? Finally, he stepped forward. I expected a simple 'Glad you're awake'. Or a sarcastic 'Hope you're feeling better'. But what I didn't expect, was for Danny Phantom to pull me into a bear hug. I mean, seriously? What happened to him while I was in coma? He hated my guts, for crying out loud! And now he wants to be all cuddly? Fenton, you are a messed up fruitloop.

At first I stayed stiff in shock. I could feel everyone's gazes on us. Everyone holding their breaths, waiting for me to explode. Including me. But in this entire, messed up scenario, what shocked me the most, was what I did next.

I hugged him back.

What was wrong with me? We were supposed to be at each other's throats. Swearing bloody murder. And here I was, hugging the dipstick. Oh my God, I'm going soft. Way to go, Ember. I could feel their stares, burning into our backs. I could hear Sam swearing curses at me. Maybe she wasn't saying them out loud. But by the way she was glaring at me, I was pretty sure she was thinking them. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, we pulled apart. I bit my lip. What happened now? I opened my mouth to speak. But before I could, Danny turned around wordlessly and fled up the stairs.

Sam brushed past me. She turned back, her gaze ice cold.

"I'm glad you're awake." she forced out through gritted teeth. I simply glared back with equal ferocity. Then she spun around and stormed up the stairs.

* * *

**Third Person's POV**

Danny stared out across the horizon, watching the tip of the sun slowly peek over the ocean. It cast amber-aureate rays that cut through the darkness of the night. As the sun rose higher, the golden hue washed over the sky, chasing away the shadows. Danny sighed. If only it were that easy to wash away his troubles. He felt a warm hand rest on his. He automatically knew who it belonged to.

"Sam." he greeted. His girlfriend gazed at him, concerned.

"You okay?" she pressed. Danny sighed. Honestly? He didn't know? Ember was awake, his guilt should have been wiped away. So why did he still feel so horrible? He felt as if something was missing. Something so close, yet not quite in reach. But what was it? He had everything a teenager would want. A loving family. Awesome ghost powers. An amazing girlfriend.

An amazing girlfriend...

Why did those words suddenly feel so... wrong? Sam was everything he wanted, wasn't she? She was pretty, smart, levelheaded, strong...

So what was missing?

* * *

"Jasmine! Oh, I've missed you so much, honey! How has college been?" Maddie fussed over her daughter as she walked through the front door.

"Hi, mom." Jazz laughed, bending down to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. "Uh... It's been good! A little busy, but good! Anyways, it's great to be able to visit you!"

"Jazz!" Jack cried out, holding his arms out for a hug.

"Hey, dad!" Jazz grinned, returning the hug. "Where's Danny?" she inquired, looking around for her younger brother.

"Oh, he's upstairs, I'll call him down." Maddie explained. "Danny! Come downstairs! You're sister's here!" she called up the stairs.

"Coming, mom!" Danny replied. He quickly made his way down the stairs, he grinned when he saw his sister.

"Hey, Jazz." he smiled. Jazz gasped in delight.

"Oh, Danny! You've grown so much since I last saw you!" she ruffled her brother's hair. Danny rolled his eyes affectionately, patting down his hair.

"Jazz... you saw us a few months ago!" he pointed out. Jazz stared her brother down as if he was crazy.

"Exactly! It's been months!" she exclaimed. Danny shook his head, chuckling to himself. Then his expression turned serious.

"Hey Jazz, can I talk to you... privately?" he requested. Jazz looked surprised, but complied willingly.

"Sure! Of cour-"

"Oh no! Danny! Jazz just got here! Let her spend a little time with the family! We haven't seen her in months!" Maddie protested, hanging on to her daughter's arm. Jack Fenton nodded eagerly.

"Yes! Hey Jazz, did you bring me any turkey bacon?" he pressed, his voice dropping to a whisper. Maddie glared at her husband, disapprovingly.

"Jack! You know you're trying to lose weight!"

"Well, yes! But every man needs his turkey bacon now and then!"

"How are you ever going to slim down for your triathlon training, if you don't take your diet seriously!"

"Oh come on! I've been taking this diet for months! It's not making a difference!"

"That's because you..."

Danny made a 'come on' signal with his hand. Jazz smirked and followed, the sound of their parent's bickering fading away. They managed to sneak out of the kitchen, unnoticed. Danny breathed a sigh of relief. His sister grinned.

"So, what did you want to talk about, little brother?" she inquired. Danny groaned, rubbing his temples.

"That's the thing! I don't know!" he whined, collapsing on the couch. Jazz rolled her eyes and sat down next to him.

"Come on, you didn't drag me over here for nothing." she urged, prodding his side. Danny took a deep breath, and tried to clear his thoughts.

"Okay. Well... I'm not sure what it is exactly..." he started, biting the inside of his lip.

"Yes?" Jazz pressed, leaning forwards. Danny shook his head.

"I feel like... I'm missing something." he tried to voice his thoughts into words. Jazz rubbed his back, soothingly, silently encouraging him to continue. Danny sat quietly for a moment. Then abruptly, he stood up.

"You know what? Never mind. It's probably nothing." he dismissed, waving it away. Jazz frowned, standing up to meet her brother.

"No! It's not good to bottle up your emotions! It'll all just build up and up and lead to emotional breakdowns. And that will lead to possible depression! And that could potentially lead to self harm! Which would create suicidal thoughts!" she protested. Did he really not see the severity of this situation? Sure, it felt minor at the moment! But when all the minor problems build up, he won't know how to deal with it! Her brother shied away. He frowned.

"It's not important, Jazz. Forget about it." he insisted. Jazz grabbed his wrist as he started to leave.

"No! As your older sister! I refuse to let you leave!" she demanded. Danny rolled his eyes.

"Uh... ghost powers? Remember?" he raised his eyebrows, smugly. Jazz only held his wrist tighter.

"Please, Danny? If it's so little then their will be no problem talking to me about it!" she pointed out. Danny sighed, wearily, before complying and sitting down.

"Alright." he agreed. "Let's get this over with." Jazz beamed, quickly grabbing a pencil and paper.

"Okay Danny, you say you feel like you are missing something?" she glanced up for his confirmation.

"Yeah..." he agreed, warily. Jazz nodded, and began to jot down notes.

"Now... have you been dealing with any stress lately?" she pressed. Danny didn't even have to ponder that one.

"Yeah, a truckload." he huffed, thinking back to the previous months. Jazz tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"What kind of stress?" she coerced. Danny gave a small groan of impatience.

"A lot of things... Ember went into coma, stupid ghosts won't leave me alone... Sam's been kinda buggin' me lately." he admitted, looking away shyly at his last comment. Jazz's eyebrows shot up, and she scribbled down quickly on her piece of paper.

"I see..." she scanned over her notes. "Anything else?" Danny rubbed the back of his neck. A habit that had become more frequent over the course of the past few months.

"I've been feeling... strange... around someone." he explained, using rapid hand motions.

"Who?" Jazz was beginning to form an idea of what her little brother was feeling.

"...Ember." he bit his lip, and avoided Jazz's gaze. He knew of his sister's disapproval for the girl.

"And what have you been feeling around Sam?" she urged. Danny blinked. Sam? What did she have to do with this? They had been talking about Ember, hadn't they?

"Uh... I don't know... frankly, I've been feeling kind of annoyed around her." he admitted, looking guilty.

"Has she done anything to annoy you?" Jazz asked. Danny stopped to think. Had she?

"Well... not really. I mean, she has been kind of pushy lately, but..." he trailed off. Jazz sighed. She didn't approve, but she wanted her brother to be happy.

"I just don't understand! Why do I feel so... empty? Why have I been so mad at Sam? What-" Danny was cut short by Jazz's terse glare.

"Maybe you should stop asking questions, and pay enough attention to realise that the answer is right in front of you." she glanced to gaze at a certain auburn haired girl as she crossed the hallway.

* * *

Danny pondered his sisters words as he walked down the hallway. The answer was right in front of him? Suddenly, he felt himself crashing into someone else. He tumbled to the floor. When his vision cleared, he realised he had bumped into Ember.

_The answer is right in front of you..._

Danny held his hand out. Ember cocked an eyebrow, but allowed him to help her up.

"Thanks... Danny." she thanked him hesitantly. He smirked.

"Danny? No dipstick? No Baby Pop?" he challenged, playfully. Ember rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth for a sarcastic retort, but Danny swooped and kissed her cheek.

_He kissed her._

Ember's jaw fell open. He kissed her! And for a moment, Ember felt... something. A feeling that she hadn't felt in what seemed forever. A feeling that had died long ago with Skulker.

A single butterfly stirred in her stomach.

* * *

**Good? Bad? Yeah, I'll probably get a lot of hate for this. But I don't want to disappoint either of you! And DannyXEmber was in the lead when I started writing this, and I really didn't want to start over! **

**DannyXSam will be endgame. I promise!**

**~ Isabelle **


End file.
